XL5: Drawing Object Truncated or Not Printed

• Microsoft Excel for Windows, versions 5.0, 5.0c

SYMPTOMS

In Microsoft Excel, when you print a document that contains an object, such as a horizontal line, an arc, an arrow, or text in a text box, the object may be truncated or may not be printed at all.

CAUSE

This behavior occurs because Microsoft Excel limits some objects to 8000 pixels on the page. This means that at a graphics resolution of 800 DPI, a line object is limited to 10 inches on the page. For example, if you create an object that extends beyond this region, the portion of the object that goes beyond this region is not printed. Similarly, if the object is created outside of this region, it will not be printed at all.

NOTE: This problem has nothing to do with the size of the object.

When you print at 600 DPI, more of your object may be printed, because the region in which objects are printed is approximately 13 inches. Because of this behavior, the higher the resolution setting you use when you print, the greater the chance that you will run into this limit.

For non-line objects (such as a circle), the limit is 16000 pixels, or twice the limit for a line object. So, for example, if you print a circle at 800 DPI, only the portion of the circle that falls within 20 inches will be printed.

Note that this problem is NOT specific to any particular printer or printer driver or resolution. This problem may occur with text in a text box.

Note that this is not a problem in earlier versions of Microsoft Excel or in Microsoft Word for Windows version 6.0.

WORKAROUND

To allow objects on your worksheet to be printed, reduce the graphics resolution setting for your printer. For example, to do this when you are using the Compaq Pagemarq 15 or 20, use the following steps:

1. From the File menu, choose Page Setup, and select the Page tab.

2. In the Print Quality box, select a lower resolution.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in the Microsoft products listed at the beginning of this article. This problem was corrected in Microsoft Excel for Windows 95, version 7.0.